Portable, multi-function fitness device.

ABSTRACT

A fitness device comprising a foldable base that hinges to an upright body with laterally folding arms. Extension bars extend out from the base to provide additional stability. A seat moves up and down in a channel in the body. An assortment of resistance bands can be attached to the base, the seat, or to the arms when they are extended. The seat can be removed from the channel and hung over the top of a door such that the resistance bands hang from above a user&#39;s head to provide additional exercises. The base folds in on itself and can rotate against the body, such that the device is easily transported.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional No. 63/044,581,which was filed Jun. 26, 2020, the contents of which are incorporated byreference.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

This invention was not federally sponsored.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

This invention relates to the general field of fitness devices, and morespecifically, to more specifically to a portable fitness device that iseasily transported, but at the same time, is multi-functional to providea wide range of exercises.

Brief Summary of the Invention

The fitness device comprises four basis parts: a base, a vertical body,a seat, and two resistance bands. The multiple configurations madepossible by the design of the invention allows a user to performnumerous exercises working different parts of the body with very quickand easy adjustments to the various parts of the device. The base,optionally, has several hingeably attached sections that can fold upeasily for traveling. Two or more extension rods optionally extend outfrom the base to provide additional stability. The base is hingeablyattached to the upright body, such that the base, when folded, foldsneatly against the body for easy transportation. In the middle of thebody is channel into which a seat is removably attached. The seat can bemoved up or down in the channel. At the top of the body are twolaterally-rotating arms. The body also has a padded region for thecomfort of the user. Two resistance bands can be attached to the base,the seat, or the ends of the laterally-rotating arms, giving the user avariety of core, upper and lower body exercises. The seat provides asecure handhold such that the device can be used by older people forwhom standing from a sitting or squatting position may be difficult. Foradditional exercises, the seat can be removed from the device and hookedover the top of a door, providing yet another set of exercises. It isimportant to note that there are three separate main anchor points forthe resistance bands: the standing platform, the winged arms, and on theseat when attached to the door. These three anchor points providedifferent points of resistance that allow for a full and total bodyexercise. The invention is now, however, limited to these three anchorpoints, as numerous additional exercises are contemplated as part of theover concept of the invention.

PRIOR ART

Exercise equipment has been a mainstay of human life for many years;thus, there is much prior art in the field. There exist many deviceswhich provide resistance band training, but many of these are extremelylarge and heavy, such that they are not portable. Others do not providethe range of exercises this invention does, leaving this invention asthe first portable exercise device that allows for a total body workoutand is easy and safe to use.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an easilytransportable, multi-function exercise device.

It is a second objection of the invention to provide an exercise devicewith a folding base, hingeably connected to an upright body withlaterally-folding arms.

It is a third objection of the invention to provide an exercise devicewith a seat that can serve as a safety handhold for older exercisers andexercisers with weak knees, as well as a platform that allowsdeconditioned people to implement squats in their workout with safetyand support.

It is a fourth object of the invention to provide an exercise devicewith three separate places at which sets of resistance bands can beattached.

It is a fifth object of the invention to provide a seat that can beremoved from an exercise device and attached to the top of a door toprovide the user with additional exercise options.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more importantfeatures of the invention in order that the detailed description thereofmay be better understood, and in order that the present contribution tothe art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of theinvention that will be described hereinafter and which will form thesubject matter of the claims appended hereto. The features listed hereinand other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention willbecome better understood with reference to the following description andappended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated inand constitute part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of theinvention and, together with the description, serve to explain theprinciples of the invention.

It should be understood the while the preferred embodiments of theinvention are described in some detail herein, the present disclosure ismade by way of example only and that variations and changes thereto arepossible without departing from the subject matter coming within thescope of the following claims, and a reasonable equivalency thereof,which claims I regard as my invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

One preferred form of the invention will now be described with referenceto the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a front, perspective view of one embodiment of the fitnessdevice with laterally-extendable arms in a retracted position.

FIG. 2 is a front, perspective view of a second embodiment of thefitness device with laterally-extendable arms in an extended position.

FIG. 3 is front, perspective view of a third embodiment of the fitnessdevice packed up ready for transportation.

FIG. 4 is a side perspective view of the seat being hung over the top ofa door to provide additional exercise options.

FIG. 5 is a front perspective view of another embodiment of theinvention in an open position.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the invention in a folded position,ready for transportation.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the invention in a partially unfoldedposition as a user is preparing it for exercise.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the invention in a fully unfoldedposition.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the invention with two resistance bandsattached to the base clips.

FIG. 10 is a back perspective view of the invention with a singleresistance band being used across the arms.

FIG. 11 is a close-up perspective view of the arm section of theinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Many aspects of the invention can be better understood with referencesmade to the drawings below. The components in the drawings are notnecessarily drawn to scale. Instead, emphasis is placed upon clearlyillustrating the components of the present invention. Moreover, likereference numerals designate corresponding parts through the severalviews in the drawings. Before explaining at least one embodiment of theinvention, it is to be understood that the embodiments of the inventionare not limited in their application to the details of construction andto the arrangement of the components set forth in the followingdescription or illustrated in the drawings. The embodiments of theinvention are capable of being practiced and carried out in variousways. In addition, the phraseology and terminology employed herein arefor the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

FIG. 1 is a front, perspective view of one embodiment of the fitnessdevice with laterally-extendable arms 11 in a retracted position. Thedevice is anchored by a base 2, which is connected at a base hinge 6 toa body 1. The base contains at least two base units 5, whichconveniently fold onto themselves for easy transportation using knucklehinges 16. The base also contains several base clips 16, to whichresistance bands 4 can be attached. The body 1 is vertically oriented,and has a channel 9, into which a seat 3 fits. Two extension bars 14extend from the base units 5 to enhance support. It is contemplated thatthe body, base and seat could be made from metal, plastic, composite,wood, or any other strong material.

Two laterally-extendable arms 11 rotate about arm hinges 12. Armconnectors 15 provide places where resistance bands 4 can be attached.The seat has a seat surface 7, where a user can sit (for some exercises)and grab for security in cases where the user is old or has weak knees,and is not certain that he/she will be able to maintain balance and/orrecover from a squat position to a standing position. The seat 3 alsohas seat clips 8 which provide additional places where the resistancebands 4 can be attached. The body 1 has a padded section 10 thatprovides comfort to the user.

FIG. 2 is a front, perspective view of a second embodiment of thefitness device with laterally-extendable arms in an extended position.In this figure, the arms 11 have been rotated outward about arm hinges12. Resistance bands 4 have been connected to arm connectors 15. It iscontemplated that the device could come with a set of resistance bandswith different amounts of resistance, such that a user of the inventioncould use different bands for different exercises, and could progressfrom weaker to stronger bands as his/her fitness level increased. Thebands could be stored in a mesh or other type of bag.

FIG. 3 is front, perspective view of a third embodiment of the fitnessdevice packed up ready for transportation, and a side perspective viewof the seat 3 being hung over the top of a door 13 to provide additionalexercise options. The base units have been folding in upon themselvessuch that the base 2 is much smaller in footprint than it was when thebase units were open. Thus, the base 2 fits snugly against the body 1for easy transport. The arms 11 have been folded in and locked in place.A catch of any known catch from the prior art is used to keep the base 2snugly but removably attached to the body 1 during transport.

FIG. 4 is a side perspective view of the seat being hung over the top ofa door to provide additional exercise options. This figure also showshow the seat 3 can be removed and hung over the top of a door 13. Theseat 3 has a seat padding 18 section inside the seat that preventsscratches on the door. Resistance bands can be attached to the seatclips 8 to provide additional exercises for the user and can be store ina bag 19.

FIG. 5 is a front perspective view of another embodiment of theinvention in an open position. The base 2 in this embodiment is a singlepiece of metal, plastic, composite, wood or other sturdy material. Inthe base 2 are four base clips 16, into which resistance bands (notshown in this figure) can be attached. Another embodiment contemplatesthat rather than a “forward” base clip and a “back” base clip on eitherside, that there could be a single base clip in an adjustable track oneither side of the base. The body 1 is rotably attached to the base 2 bya base hinge 6. The body 1 folds into two separate units at a body hinge20 which locks in place to hold the body 1 in an upright position whenthe device is being used, and also locks the body in a folded positionfor easy transportation. A seat 3 removably and adjustably attaches tothe body at two channels 9, that are built into the body. Above the seat3 is a padding element 10 that provides comfort for the back of theuser. At the top of the body there are two arms 11, that are attached tothe body at two arm hinges 12. The arm hinges are adjustable up to 180degrees, such that the arms can be “down” or “up” with five steps inbetween the two extreme positions. At the end of each arm is an armconnector 15, to which and through which a variety of resistance bandscan be run for various exercises.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the invention in a folded position,ready for transportation. The body has been folded back upon itself atthe body hinge 20, and then the folded body has been folded again uponthe base 2 at the base hinge 6. The arms have been rotated down to fitinto the body at the arm hinges 12. This is the configuration in whichthe device can be easily transported.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the invention in a partially unfoldedposition as a user is preparing it for exercise. In this illustration,the body 1 is unfolding at the body hinge 20, and also unfolding fromthe base 2 at the base hinge. The arm hinges 12 have not yet beenadjusted to rotate the arms away from the body.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the invention in a fully unfoldedposition. The base 2 and the body 1 are perpendicular to each other, asboth the base hinge 6 and the body hinge 20 have been locked at an“unfolded” position.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the invention with two resistance bandsattached to the base clips. In this figure, the arms 11 have beenrotated to a horizontal position using the arm hinges. The user isresting his back on the padding 10 for comfort, and using the seat 3 totake weight off his feet. He has clipped two resistance bands 4 into twobase clips 16 at the front of the base 2. The body hinge is locked toprevent the body from folding in on itself.

FIG. 10 is a back perspective view of the invention with a singleresistance band being used across the arms. In this figure, the user haschosen a single resistance band 4 and run it through the two armconnectors 15 at the end of the arms 11. He could also connect the sameresistance bands as shown in FIG. 9 to the arm connectors 15.

FIG. 11 is a close-up perspective view of the arm section of theinvention. In this figure, the arm 11 has been rotated to a horizontalposition using the center adjustment hole 24 of the arm hinge 12. Aspring-loaded arm knob 22 is used to remove an arm pin 23 from oneadjustment hole 24 and move it to another adjustment hole 24, therebyremovably locking the arm in a certain position.

It is also contemplated that the entire unit of arm hinges and armscould be adjustably slid upward to move the arms higher or lower as theuser may desire.

It should be understood that while the preferred embodiments of theinvention are described in some detail herein, the present disclosure ismade by way of example only and that variations and changes thereto arepossible without departing from the subject matter coming within thescope of the following claims, and a reasonable equivalency thereof,which claims I regard as my invention.

All of the material in this patent document is subject to copyrightprotection under the copyright laws of the United States and othercountries. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimilereproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure,as it appears in official governmental records but, otherwise, all othercopyright rights whatsoever are reserved.

REFERENCE NUMBERS USED

-   -   1. Body (generally)    -   2. Base (generally)    -   3. Seat (generally)    -   4. Resistance band (generally)    -   5. Base unit    -   6. Base Hinge    -   7. Seat surface    -   8. Seat Clip    -   9. Channel    -   10. Padding    -   11. Arm    -   12. Arm Hinge    -   13. Door    -   14. Extension Bar    -   15. Arm connector    -   16. Base Clip    -   17. Knuckle Hinge    -   18. Seat padding    -   19. Bag    -   20. Body hinge    -   21. Groove    -   22. Arm Knob    -   23. Arm Pin    -   24. Adjustment Holes

That which is claimed:
 1. A multi-function, easily transportableexercise device, comprising: a body, a base, and a seat, and tworesistance bands, where the body is hingeably connected to the base by abase hinge, where the base comprises three base units, where each of thethree base units is connected to an adjacent base unit by a base knucklehinge, where each of two outer base units has a base clip capable ofreceiving one of the resistance bands, and where the base additionallycomprises at least two extension bars, where the body comprises two bodyunits, where the two body units are connected by a body knuckle hinge,where the body comprises a channel, a padding element, and two arms,where each of the two arms is rotably connected to the body by an armhinge, and where each arm has an arm connector, where the arm connectorhas an arm clip, where the arm clip is capable of receiving one of theresistance bands, where the seat is removably attached in the channel,where the seat is adjustable to a different location in the channel,where the seat comprises a seat surface and at least two seat clips,where each of the seat clips is capable of receiving one of theresistance bands.
 2. The device of claim 1, where the seat has areceiver, where the receiver is located on a bottom of the seat, andwhere the receiver fits over a top of a door, and where the seat clipsare capable of receiving one of the resistance bands, and wherepositioning the seat at the top of the door provides at least oneadditional exercise made possible by the device.
 3. The device of claim2, where each of the two resistance bands comprises a handle and a clipend, where the handle is gripped by the user and where the clip end isclipped to at least one of the seat clips, the arm clips and the baseclips.
 4. The device of claim 3, where the two body units fold in at thebody knuckle hinge, where the three base units fold in at the baseknuckle hinges, where the arms fold into the body at the arm connectors,where the body folds against the base at the base hinge, and where theseat is removable from the channel, to create a compact, easilytransported product.
 5. The device of claim 4, where each of the atleast two extension bars are slidably extendable beyond an end of thebase to provide additional stability to the device.
 6. A multi-function,easily transportable exercise device, comprising: a body, a base, and aseat, and two resistance bands, where the body is hingeably connected tothe base by a base hinge.
 7. The device of claim 6, where the basecomprises at least two base clips, three base units, where each of thethree base units is connected to an adjacent base unit by a base knucklehinge, where each of two outer base units has a base clip capable ofreceiving one of the resistance bands, and where the base additionallycomprises at least two extension bars.
 8. The device of claim 6, wherethe body comprises an upper section and a lower section, and where theupper section is hingeably connected to the lower section by a bodyhinge where the two body units are connected by a body knuckle hinge. 9.The device of claim 8, where the body comprises a channel and a paddingelement, where the seat removably and adjustably attaches to thechannel.
 10. The device of claim 9, where the channel comprises twoparallel slits in the body, and additionally comprises at least threebars, where the seat additionally comprises two grips, where the twogrips removably secure the seat to one of the at least three bars. 11.The device of claim 10, where the body additionally comprises two arms,where each of the two arms is rotably connected to the body by an armhinge, and where each arm has an arm connector, where the arm connectorhas an arm clip, where the arm clip is capable of receiving one of theresistance bands.
 12. The device of claim 11, where the seat isremovably attached in the channel, where the seat is adjustable to adifferent location in the channel, where the seat comprises a seatsurface and at least two seat clips, where each of the seat clips iscapable of receiving one of the resistance bands.
 13. The device ofclaim 12, where the seat has a receiver, where the receiver is locatedon a bottom of the seat, and where the receiver fits over a top of adoor, and where the seat clips are capable of receiving one of theresistance bands, and where positioning the seat at the top of the doorprovides at least one additional exercise made possible by the device.14. The device of claim 10, where each of the two resistance bandscomprises a handle and a clip end, where the handle is gripped by theuser and where the clip end is clipped to at least one of the seatclips, the arm clips and the base clips.
 15. The device of claim 6,where the base comprises at least two base clips, three base units,where each of the three base units is connected to an adjacent base unitby a base knuckle hinge, where each of two outer base units has a baseclip capable of receiving one of the resistance bands, and where thebase additionally comprises at least two extension bars, where the twobody units fold in at the body knuckle hinge, where the three base unitsfold in at the base knuckle hinges, where the arms fold into the body atthe arm connectors, where the body folds against the base at the basehinge, and where the seat is removable from the channel, to create acompact, easily transported product.
 16. The device of claim 16, whereeach of the at least two extension bars are slidably extendable beyondan end of the base to provide additional stability to the device.
 17. Amulti-function, easily transportable exercise device, comprising: abody, a base, and a seat, and two resistance bands, where the body ishingeably connected to the base by a base hinge, where the basecomprises three base units, where each of the three base units isconnected to an adjacent base unit by a base knuckle hinge, where eachof two outer base units has a base clip capable of receiving one of theresistance bands, and where the base additionally comprises at least twoextension bars, where the body comprises two body units, where the twobody units are connected by a body knuckle hinge, where the bodycomprises a channel, a padding element, and two arms, where each of thetwo arms is rotably connected to the body by an arm hinge, and whereeach arm has an arm connector, where the arm connector has an arm clip,where the arm clip is capable of receiving one of the resistance bands.18. The device of claim 17, where the seat is removably attached in thechannel, where the seat is adjustable to a different location in thechannel, where the seat comprises a seat surface and at least two seatclips, where each of the seat clips is capable of receiving one of theresistance bands.
 19. The device of claim 18, where each of the tworesistance bands comprises a handle and a clip end, where the handle isgripped by the user and where the clip end is clipped to at least one ofthe seat clips, the arm clips and the base clips, where the two bodyunits fold in at the body knuckle hinge, where the three base units foldin at the base knuckle hinges, where the arms fold into the body at thearm connectors, where the body folds against the base at the base hinge,and where the seat is removable from the channel, to create a compact,easily transported product.
 20. The device of claim 19, where each ofthe at least two extension bars are slidably extendable beyond an end ofthe base to provide additional stability to the device, where the numberof base clips is four, where the seat has a receiver, where the receiveris located on a bottom of the seat, and where the receiver fits over atop of a door, and where the seat clips are capable of receiving one ofthe resistance bands, and where positioning the seat at the top of thedoor provides at least one additional exercise made possible by thedevice.